Bahge construction



3, 1965 A. KUNZ BARGE CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1963Aug. 3, 1965 A. KUNZ 3,198,156

BARGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. #40250wd z BY A QZ Aug. 3, 1965 A. KUNZ 3,198,156

BARGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7

INVENTOR. 44/250 /KdA/z BY 77(WM4 55M A.KUN Z BARGE CONSTRUCTION 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 0st. l6, 1963 United States Patent 3,198,156 BARGECONSTRUCTION Alfred Kuuz, Munich, Germany, assignor to FirrnaDeggendorter Werft and Eisenbau, Ges. m.b.H., Deggeudorf (Danube),Germany Filed Get. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 316,615

Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 27, 1962,

2 Claims. (Cl. 114-29) This invention relates in general to bargeconstruction, and in particular to a new and useful hopper barge made upof a plurality of float units which are pivotally connected and whichmay be shifted outwardly for discharging a hopper load and to animproved barge construction with a propulsion unit mounted thereon in amanner permitting pivotal movement of the floating units.

Most hopper barges, particularly those used for transporting dredgedmaterial, are towed or pushed by special craft. In ome instances, bargesof this nature include their own propulsion units. In addition, bargesmay be provided with pivotally mounted hoppers to form one or moreloading compartments with the hoppers being ,mounted for articulation inrespect to the remaining portion provides a novel means for sealing thestructural elements of the complete barge and also provides anarrangement for the wheel house and propulsion system which permits theoutward movement of the floating hollow bodies without materiallydisturbing the propulsion system. The sealing is advantageously providedby a vertical joint in the front and rear terminal walls of the loadingcompartment when the latter is closed.

In view of the fact that the deck on the afterbody must contain thepropulsion system and must assume an inclined position when the floatingbodies are moved outwardly, the invention provides a construction whichpermits such an arrangement. In order to use a barge of this nature as aself-propelled craft, the driving unit is arranged in a special manner.The driving unit includes a control cabin supported on a stationarypivot affixed to one floating unit on one side of the center line of thebarge assembly, and the other side is secured to a pivot element whichmay be moved backwardly and forwardly in a slot member carried by theother floating unit to permit pivoting of the floating body element andthe shifting of the driving motor vertically. In such an arrangement thecenter line position of the driving unit changes only slightly to permitthe pivotal movement of the floating body elements.

A further aspect of the invention consists of a construction of a bargewith a plurality of floating body elements which are arranged on eachside of the center line of the barge in a series in a longitudinaldirection. The construction is such that the two floating bodies at eachend are provided with a deck to form foreand after-bodies, respectively,while the floating bodies in between form the loading compartments. Witha construction of this nature the floating body elements, includingelements which make up hopper portions, can be manufactured andtransported separately and the assembly of the entire barge can be madeat a place remote from the manufacturing location. This is of particularimportance for use on lakes which can only be reached by land.

3,198,156 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 The construction of the presentinvention is such that the floats forming the foreand after-bodies ofthe vessel can be used interchangeably with floating body elements whichform hoppers of different sizes and loading capacities. The constructionpermits the manufacture of a corresponding number of identical floatsfor the foreand after-body barge assembly which may be joined togetherwith any of a variety of sizes of intermediate floating bodies whichform the hopper paits.

In accordance with another embodiment, the barge construction includes,in addition to the foreand afterfloating body elements, a central deckportion for connecting floating body elements on each side thereof toform at least two hopper loading compartments at each end of the vessel.

In accordance with the invention the floating body elements which formthe barges are hingedly connected along the longitudinal line, and meanssuch as a fluid pressure-operated piston and cylinder combination, areprovided to shift the floating bodies outwardly in respect to alongitudinal pivot connecting their upper inner corners. In this mannerthe hoppers are opened and closed below the pivot in accordance withwhether the barge elements are swung outwardly or inwardly. Theconstruction advantageously includes longitudinal stiffening elements inthe form of longitudinally extending pipe members with opposite endsprovided with means to receive coupling elements.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedbarge construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barge constructionhaving a plurality of floating body elements which are pivotallyconnected together along a longitudinal center line which may be swungoutwardly for the purpose of opening and closing hopper sections formedby such elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barge constructionmade up of at least two floating body elements which are pivotedtogether along a longitudinal pivot and which may be shifted outwardlyand inwardly about the pivot and which includes improved means formounting a propulsion unit on deck formed by the floating body elementspermitting the elements to be pivoted about the longitudinal pivot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barge constructionincluding longitudinal shifting members with improved coupling means forinterconnecting a plurality of floating body elements which make up thebarge assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barge constructionwhich is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical tomanufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and de scriptivematter in which there are illustrated and described preferredembodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a barge construction 'constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the barge indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section similar to FIG. 3 indicating the mounting of thepilot house and driving unit;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial rear elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 6indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken FIG. 3 offset by 99 relativethereto;

FIG; 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3; c FIG. 9is a side elevation of another embodiment of a barge constructed inaccordance with the invention;

.FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the barge -FIG. 9,; and e FIG. 11 is asection taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 9. Referring to'the drawings inparticular, the invention embodied therein, as indicated in FIGS. 1 to8, comprises a barge generally designated It) which is made up 'ofrtwoon the line 7-7: of

floating body assemblies generally'designated 12 and 14 indicated in 7moval of the combination pilot house and propulsion unit are carried inniches or recesses 45 and 47 formed in stern portions 12a and 14a. andin how portions 120 and 14c, respectively. The piston and cylindercombinations inl elude a cylinderelement 48pwhich is pivoted to abracket 55) secured to the assembly 12' and a piston rod 52 which ispivoted to a bracket 54' secured to the floating body assembly 14. Acontrolling fluid under pressure is sup- In the embodiment illustrated,each of the floating body I V assemblies 12and14 is made up of the sternsections 12a and 14a which form a rear deck, central sections 12b and14b which form a hopper. or loading section, and bow sections 12c andIda which form a deck at the bow. In

barge 10. The hopper sections 12b and 14b .include.

oblique deck portions 22 and 24 which'f-orm inclined surfaces forreceiving a load, such as bulk material, to be transported.

A further feature of the construction is that the hopper sections 12band 14b may be made independently from plied from the pilot housethrough tubes 56 and 58 to selected sides of a piston (not shown) whichis secured to connecting rod '32 and operates within the cylinder 48.

As indicated in FIG. 3, when fluid is supplied through conduit Sfiunderpressure,"the piston is moved outwardly to cause movement of the pistonrod 52 outwardly and the pivoting of the floating body assemblies 12 and14 about pivot 16. This effectively opens the hopper portions .121) and14b and permits dumping of the'load, for example.

fsembly 42 is mounted on a supporting stand or bracket '60 which ispivota'lly connected to fixedbracket member 62 on the stern portion 14a,while the other end carries a A feature ofthe construction is that thepilot house asroller element 64 which rides in a slot 66 formed by acleat 6 8 secured on the stern section 12a. 'As indicated in FIG.

,4, when the stern sections 12a and 14a are pivoted outwardly by.actuating the piston and cylinder combination the stern and bow sections120! and 14a and 12c .and 140,

;and they may be interconnected and secured'together rigidly byconnecting jelements arranged at corner loca- 1 tions A, vB C, and D, asindicated -in FIGS. The coupling connections of these tank elements areindicated in detail in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. As indicated .inFIG. .5, thecoupling connection at A (see FIG. 3) is formed by hollow conicalendportions 26 and 28 made in the reinforcing pipe elements 18 and 2t)ofthe respective elements to be joined together. 7 extend into therespective conical portions26 and 28 when I the respective 'parts ofsuch elements, for example the It can be seen that theshifting of thecenter line of the drive shaft 420 by the' amount indicated-in FIG. 4does A solid coupling pin 30 is positioned to 1 stern portion 14a andthe hopper portion 14b, are arranged together. Each portion 14a and 1417includes a vertical tube 32 which extends downwardly to the respectiveconical portions 26 and 28 from an accessible deck such as a top deck 33to permit the insertion of a holding pin or dowel 34 through a'boredefined in the pin 30 inorderto I anchor the pin '39 in a holdingposition. The pin 34 includes an extension 36 to permitits manipulationfrom the exterior of the associated floating bodyelements. 'The 46, thecombination pilot house and driving and propuls'ion assembly 42 movesupwardly tothe dotted line posi-' tion indicated in FIG. 4. The centerline 49 of the driving unit shifts laterallybya smallamount, asindicated.

As best indicated in .FIG. 6, the combination pilot house and propulsionunit includes an upper pilot house portion 42aand a propulsion motor 42bwith avertically elongated propulsion shaft 42c'arranged to rotate apropeller 42d.

not aifect' its opcrating position materially and the upright orvertical position is maintained permitting the unit to function in V anormal manner to both steerand propel the barge.

V It should be appreciated that coupling of the various floating bodyelements, for example, the elements 12a,

- 12b'and 126, is made at each end of the center portion 12b includescentral floats 70 and 72 on each'side of which are arranged hopper.forming: floats 12b, 12b and hopper forming floats 14b, 14b which, inturn, are connected to stem forming float members 12 1' and 14a and bowforming floating body members -12c'.and 140. In this embodiment thecombination piston and cylinder members are below the deck, it suflices,as indicated in FIG. 7, to pro-'-- videa short coupling pin 34 which isinserted vertically from the deck into .the'bore of the 'holdingpin 30.The

' pin 34"is held by a welded collar 38'. The interior of the respectivefloating bodies is sealed around the bore used to insert the pin 34' 'bya hood 4%) welded from the bottom on the pipe 20.

At the fourth coupling point D,'which is at the same level as thecoupling point A, located inside at the bottom joint of the loadinghopper portions 12b*and 14b, only shortcoupling pins 34' are provided. Awelded collar 38' anchors the pin 34" in position. A detachable cover"40 is provided to seal the associatedcompartment.

In accordance with a' further feature of the invention,

a combination pilot house assembly and propulsion unit ygenerally.designated 42 is connected to associated float assembles 12' and 14 in amanner permitting the pivotal movement of the floatassemblies withoutrequiring rearranged in recesses or niches 74, 75 and 76, as indicatedin FIG. 6-to provide for the .pivotal shifting of the'hopper 1 formingportions 12b and 14b.

The various floating body elements on one side 12a,

. 12b, 70, 12b and-12c, as well as the opposite side elements 14a, 14b,72, 14b and 14c, may be coupled together in the manner indicated in theother embodiment. Thus, it can be seen that the. basic constructionindicated aparticularly in'FIGS..1 and 2 may be modified in the mannerof' the structure indicated in FIGS. 9 and 10 by the additional centralfloating body elements Hand 72 arrangedcentrally between pairs ofhopper-forming elements 121) and 14b. With the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10, it, of course, would be possible to open only one of thehopper-forming element pairs or both of the hopper-forming element pairson each side of the central floating body elements and 72.

shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of theinventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may beembodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A barge comprising first and second floating body elements, saidfloating body elements including separate stern, bow and centralportions, coupling means holding said stern, bow and central portionstogether, means pivotally connecting said first and second floating bodyelements together adjacent their upper interior corners and permittingtheir lower interior corners to abut, and means for moving said firstand second floating body elements outwardly to pivot said floating bodyelements about said pivot means for opening said barge, propulsion meansmounted on said first and second floating body ele ments, and meansmounting said propulsion means on said floating body element permittingsaid elements to be pivoted outwardly while holding said propulsionmeans in a substantially upright position.

2. A barge comprising first and second floating body elements, saidfloating body elements including separate stern, bow and centralportions, coupling means holding said stern, bow and central portionstogether, means pivotally connecting said first and second floating bodyelements together adjacent their upper interior corners and permittingtheir lower interior corners to abut, and means for moving said firstand second floating body elements outwardly to pivot said floating bodyelements about said pivot means for opening said barge, propulsion meansmounted on said first and second floating body elements, and meansmounting said propulsion means on said floating body elements permittingsaid elements to be pivoted outwardly while holding said propulsionmeans in a substantially upright position including a bracket memberpivotally connected to said first floating body element, said brackethaving a portion confined by said second body element, said second bodyelement including means defining a slot permitting sliding movement ofsaid portion of said bracket member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 649,427 5/00Barney 11429 1,495,428 5/24 Neveling 114-29 1,832,349 11/31 Beaton 114292,011,886 8/35 Back 11429 2,518,091 8/50 Stopkevyc 114-5 2,876,726 3/59Robishaw 114-5 3,117,543 1/64 George et al. 11428 FOREIGN PATENTS216,562 8/61 Austria.

313,840 6/29 Great Britain.

896,752 5 62 Great Britain.

1,149,632 5/63 Germany.

97 12/ 13 Holland.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

1. A BARGE COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND FLOATING BODY ELEMENTS, SAIDFLOATING BODY ELEMENTS INCLUDING SEPARATE STERN, BOW AND CENTRALPORTIONS, COUPLING MEANS HOLDING SAID STERN, BOW AND CENTRAL PORTIONSTOGETHER, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLOATING BODYELEMENTS TOGETHER ADJACENT THEIR UPPER INTERIOR CORNERS AND PERMITTINGTHEIR LOWER INTERIOR CORNERS TO ABUT, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FIRSTAND SECOND FLOATING BODY ELEMENTS OUTWARDLY TO PIVOT SAID FLOATING BODYELEMENTS ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS FOR OPENING SAID BARGE, PROPULSION MEANSMOUNTED ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLOATING BODY ELEMENTS, AND MEANSMOUNTING SAID PROPULSION MEANS ON SAID FLOATING BODY ELEMENTS PERMITTINGSAID ELEMENTS TTO BE PIVOTED OUTWARDLY WHILE HOLDING SAID PROPULSIONMEANS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT POSITION.